Should I Go to a 4S Shop to Repair the Dent on My New Car?
3 Answers
New car dents can be repaired at a 4S shop or at a repair shop. Introduction to car dent repair: Definition: Car dent repair is different from ordinary sheet metal repair. It refers to the use of optical and mechanical means to treat the dented area of the car in order to repair the dent as much as possible. This repair method does not damage the car paint, which is a low-cost solution for car owners and can save repair time. Dent repair is an advanced international repair process and has significant advantages over ordinary sheet metal repair. Benefits: It greatly reduces construction time and can save a lot of expenses. It does not damage the car paint, keeping the paint in its original factory condition, and the paint color will not change after repair. Car dent repair is purely manual physical work, green and environmentally friendly without pollution. In contrast, sheet metal and painting produce waste, causing environmental pollution. Disadvantages: It can only repair metal parts that are not severely dented. Plastic parts on the car body, edges of the doors, areas where the car paint putty is too thick, and severely deformed parts of the car body cannot be repaired.
When my new car had a dent, my first thought was about safety and aesthetics, so I headed straight to the 4S dealership. Since the car body was new and the paint hadn't aged, small repair shops might use mismatched parts, risking color discrepancies or dent recurrence if the repair isn't done properly. The 4S dealership has original manufacturer techniques and professional tools, such as laser-guided dent repair, ensuring the body is restored to its original condition. Untreated dents can also lead to water ingress, causing rust or hidden sensor damage, which affects driving safety. I now regret not going earlier, especially after seeing a friend's car repaired at a roadside shop needing rework within six months. As an average car owner, I recommend taking new car dents to the 4S dealership—though more expensive, it offers peace of mind, warranty documentation, and better resale value in the future.
Bro, whether to repair a dent in a new car at a 4S shop depends on your wallet. Last time, my new car door had a small dent, and here's the estimate: the 4S shop quoted at least 3000, with painting and metalwork being super expensive. A small outside shop with similar skills only charged 800, and their tools were decent. After weighing the options, if the dent isn't deep and the paint isn't damaged, I'd choose a roadside shop for a trial repair—saving both money and time. However, the original paint on a new car is precious, and outside shops might use inferior materials leading to fading or unevenness. I checked reviews on Xiaohongshu, and some recommended paintless dent repair (PDR) technology, which offers moderate cost and good results. In short, don't rush to the 4S shop blindly. Take photos to assess the dent size first, then decide. For minor issues, saving money for new car maintenance isn't a bad idea, right?
